Lamentations

1I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.💡

2He hath led me and caused me to walk in darkness, and not in light.💡

3Surely against me he turneth his hand again and again all the day.💡

4My flesh and my skin hath he made old; he hath broken my bones.💡

5He hath builded against me, and compassed me with gall and travail.💡

6He hath made me to dwell in dark places, as those that have been long dead.💡

7He hath walled me about, that I cannot go forth; he hath made my chain heavy.💡

8Yea, when I cry, and call for help, he shutteth out my prayer.💡

9He hath walled up my ways with hewn stone; he hath made my paths crooked.💡

10He is unto me as a bear lying in wait, as a lion in secret places.💡

11He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces; he hath made me desolate.💡

12He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.💡

13He hath caused the shafts of his quiver to enter into my reins.💡

14I am become a derision to all my people, and their song all the day.💡

15He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath sated me with wormwood.💡

16He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones; he hath covered me with ashes.💡

17And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace; I forgat prosperity.💡

18And I said, My strength is perished, and mine expectation from Jehovah.💡

19Remember mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.💡

20My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is bowed down within me.💡

21This I recall to my mind; therefore have I hope.💡

22It is of Jehovah's lovingkindnesses that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.💡

23They are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness.💡

24Jehovah is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.💡

25Jehovah is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.💡

26It is good that a man should hope and quietly wait for the salvation of Jehovah.💡

27It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.💡

28Let him sit alone and keep silence, because he hath laid it upon him.💡

29Let him put his mouth in the dust, if so be there may be hope.💡

30Let him give his cheek to him that smiteth him; let him be filled full with reproach.💡

31For the Lord will not cast off for ever.💡

32For though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his lovingkindnesses.💡

33For he doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men.💡

34To crush under foot all the prisoners of the earth,💡

35To turn aside the right of a man before the face of the Most High,💡

36To subvert a man in his cause, the Lord approveth not.💡

37Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?💡

38Out of the mouth of the Most High cometh there not evil and good?💡

39Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?💡

40Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to Jehovah.💡

41Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.💡

42We have transgressed and have rebelled; thou hast not pardoned.💡

43Thou hast covered with anger and pursued us; thou hast slain, thou hast not pitied.💡

44Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, so that no prayer can pass through.💡

45Thou hast made us an off-scouring and refuse in the midst of the peoples.💡

46All our enemies have opened their mouth wide against us.💡

47Fear and the pit are come upon us, devastation and destruction.💡

48Mine eye runneth down with streams of water, for the destruction of the daughter of my people.💡

49Mine eye poureth down, and ceaseth not, without any intermission,💡

50Till Jehovah look down, and behold from heaven.💡

51Mine eye affecteth my soul, because of all the daughters of my city.💡

52They have chased me sore like a bird, they that are mine enemies without cause.💡

53They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and have cast a stone upon me.💡

54Waters flowed over my head; I said, I am cut off.💡

55I called upon thy name, O Jehovah, out of the lowest dungeon.💡

56Thou heardest my voice; hide not thine ear at my breathing, at my cry.💡

57Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee; thou saidst, Fear not.💡

58O Lord, thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul; thou hast redeemed my life.💡

59O Jehovah, thou hast seen my wrong; judge thou my cause.💡

60Thou hast seen all their vengeance and all their devices against me.💡

61Thou hast heard their reproach, O Jehovah, and all their devices against me,💡

62The lips of those that rose up against me, and their device against me all the day.💡

63Behold thou their sitting down, and their rising up; I am their song.💡

64Thou wilt render unto them a recompense, O Jehovah, according to the work of their hands.💡

65Thou wilt give them hardness of heart, thy curse unto them.💡

66Thou wilt pursue them in anger, and destroy them from under the heavens of Jehovah.💡